Exploring Differences between Violent and Nonviolent Juvenile Offenders Using Juvenile Corrections Facility Client Records

Effective consultation for the prevention and treatment of violent juvenile offenders may benefit from analyses that identify local risk and protective factors. Such analyses require appropriate multidisciplinary supporting data that typically must be collected from multiple sources. Juvenile correctional facility records potentially offer a single, readily available source of data about adjudicated youth and their families that can be accessed in a timely and efficient manner. This article describes the advantages of using juvenile correctional facility records as part of a risk-based approach to plan and implement prevention and treatment programs for violent juvenile offenders. Client records from a juvenile correctional facility are analyzed by comparing violent and nonviolent juvenile offenders, and demonstrate the usefulness of the records in identifying local risk factors for violent criminal behavior.